Lewis Hamilton maintains that Ferrari’s 2025 campaign can still be hailed as a "significant accomplishment" if the Scuderia manages to finish within the top three of the Drivers' Championship, urging observers to focus on the positive aspects of the season despite a series of recent setbacks. The prospect of Hamilton and Ferrari clinching the world title has all but vanished after a string of disappointing results. The seven‑time champion has not stood on the podium since the British Grand Prix in early July, and a race‑ending retirement in Madrid saw him fall more than 100 points behind the championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, for the first time this year. Antonelli now enjoys an 81‑point cushion over his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, while Hamilton trails Russell by 20 points.
When asked about his own title hopes ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – the 15th round of a 23‑race calendar – Hamilton replied with a mixture of realism and optimism: "He’s 101 points ahead of me. In just two races he gained around 40 points, and we’ve been working hard to claw back a few here and there. There’s still a long way to go, and my focus is on holding onto second place – or at least narrowing the gap to Mercedes – in the Constructors' standings.
That would be remarkable." Hamilton stressed the importance of perspective, noting that while the season often feels "doom and gloom," the team must "look at the positives." Ferrari endured a winless year in 2025 and slipped to fourth in the Constructors' table, while Hamilton himself endured a difficult first season in the red car, failing to reach the podium for the first time in his career. Nevertheless, the Scuderia secured a victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in June, and Charles Leclerc added a win at Silverstone two races later, providing tangible proof that the package can still deliver.
"We’ve been fighting, we’ve had wins and podiums, and the team has done an incredible job bringing upgrades," Hamilton said. "Many people focus on the negatives, but if I can battle with George and somehow get ahead of him – which would be very difficult given Mercedes’ lead – staying in the top three, even second, would be a huge achievement for us as a team." Hamilton acknowledged that Ferrari’s early‑weekend pace often looks competitive, but recent races have been hampered by strategic missteps and operational errors that are within the team’s control.
"There are positives to take from the last few races, but the execution hasn’t been the best and the results reflect that," he explained. "We learn from the areas where we weren’t as strong, and I believe we can improve – and we have. I’m excited for this weekend." The narrative surrounding the championship is also shaped by the performances of rivals. Antonelli has won the last two Grands Prix, bringing his career total to eight victories in just his second season, while Russell, the pre‑season favourite, has struggled to adapt his natural driving style to the all‑new 2026 cars.
Despite these challenges, Russell told reporters in Baku that he is making "very good progress" and feels confident he can fight for victories again. He emphasized the need to resolve lingering issues, noting that race‑pace, once a weakness, has improved markedly since the summer break. Looking ahead, Russell said his approach to each weekend remains unchanged: "I’ll keep fighting every race until it’s mathematically impossible.
I want to win every race, take pole every race – that’s my goal. The points deficit is large, but the performance gap is the priority right now." The upcoming Azerbaijan weekend features a packed schedule, with practice sessions, qualifying, and the race itself spread across three days. The event also includes F2 support races, providing fans with a full weekend of motorsport action.
Sky Sports will broadcast the entire program live, and viewers can stream the coverage flexibly via the NOW platform, with no long‑term contract required. Beyond the immediate race weekend, Hamilton’s comments reflect a broader theme in Formula 1: the need to balance criticism with recognition of progress. While Ferrari’s season has been marred by missed opportunities and internal mistakes, the team’s ability to secure wins and develop upgrades demonstrates resilience.
Hamilton’s call to "look at the positives" serves as a reminder that success in this sport is rarely linear; it is built on incremental improvements, strategic learning, and the occasional breakthrough. If Ferrari can convert its sporadic flashes of speed into consistent results, and if Hamilton can extract the maximum from a car that has struggled to match Mercedes’ pace, the Scuderia could indeed finish the year as one of the top three teams – a result that would vindicate the hard work of engineers, drivers, and staff alike.
In a sport where narratives shift with every lap, Hamilton’s optimism may well become the catalyst that turns a season of disappointment into a respectable, if not spectacular, achievement.